The regulations, introduced by CSAC Executive Officer Andy Foster at the Commission’s May 17 meeting, are a 10-point plan designed to combat extreme weight cutting and severe dehydration in MMA fighters. Components of the plan include stricter fines for fighters who miss their weight limit, fight-day weight checks and the addition of new weight classes.

Another part of the plan gives the CSAC the right to check the weights of fighters competing in title fights both 30 days and 10 days before the event in order to ensure they were en route to making weight in a healthy and safe manner.

Weight cutting is a dangerous practice used by fighters to change weight classes and gain advantage over an opponent. Severe dehydration and other methods of dropping weight have caused brain injury, heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure, leading to the deaths of several fighters in the United States and around the world.